hæŋ v. & n. --v. (past
and past part.
hung except in
sense 7) 1 tr. a
secure or
cause to be supported
from above,
esp.
with the lower part
free. b (foll. by
up,
on, on
to, etc.)
attach loosely by suspending from the top. 2 tr. set up (a
door, gate, etc.) on
its hinges so
that it moves freely. 3 tr.
place (a picture) on a
wall or in an
exhibition. 4 tr. attach (wallpaper) in
vertical strips to a wall. 5 tr. (foll. by on) colloq. attach the
blame for (a thing) to (a person) (you can't hang that on me). 6 tr. (foll. by with)
decorate by
hanging pictures or decorations etc. (a
hall hung with tapestries). 7 tr. & intr. (past and past part. hanged) a
suspend or be suspended by the
neck with a noosed
rope until dead, esp. as a
form of capital
punishment. b as a
mild oath (hang the
expense; let
everything go hang). 8 tr. let
droop (hang one's head). 9 tr. suspend (meat or game) from a
hook and leave it until
dry or tender or
high. 10 intr. be or
remain hung (in
various senses). 11 intr. remain
static in the
air. 12 intr. (often foll. by over) be present or
imminent, esp. oppressively or threateningly (a
hush hung
over the room). 13 intr. (foll. by on) a be
contingent or
dependent on (everything hangs on the discussions). b
listen closely to (hangs on
their every word). --n. 1 the
way a
thing hangs or falls. 2 a
downward droop or bend. øget the hang of colloq.
understand the
technique or
meaning of. hang
about (or around) 1
loiter or
dally;
not move away. 2 (foll. by with)
associate with (a
person etc.). hang
back 1
show reluctance to
act or move. 2 remain
behind. hang
fire be
slow in
taking action or in progressing. hang heavily (or heavy) (of time) pass slowly. hang in US colloq. 1
persist,
persevere. 2
linger. hang on colloq. 1
continue or persevere, esp. with
difficulty. 2 (often foll. by to) continue to hold or
grasp. 3 (foll. by to)
retain;
fail to
give back. 4 a
wait for a
short time. b (in telephoning) continue to listen
during a
pause in the
conversation. hang
out 1 hang from a
window, clothes-line, etc. 2
protrude or cause to protrude downwards. 3 (foll. by of) lean out of (a window etc.). 4 sl.
reside or be
often present. hang-out n. sl. a place
one lives in or frequently visits. hang
together 1
make sense. 2 remain associated. hang up 1 hang from a hook,
peg, etc. 2 (often foll. by on)
end a
telephone conversation, esp. abruptly (then he hung up on me). 3 cause
delay or difficulty to. 4 (usu. in
passive, foll. by on) sl. be a
psychological or
emotional obsession or
problem to (is
really hung up on
her father). hang-up n. sl. an emotional problem or
inhibition. hung-over colloq. suffering from a
hangover. hung
parliament a parliament in
which no party
has a
clear majority. let it
all hang out sl. be
uninhibited or relaxed. not
care (or give) a hang colloq. not care at all. [ON hanga (tr.) = OE
hon, & f. OE hangian (intr.), f. Gmc]
